MAP: route through the americas

View on the road in a larger map

STORY: Chasing The Dragon (Published 2001)

A link to my web article posted 2001:
http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/02-04/chasing-the-dragon-komodo-indonesia.html

MY FULL TRAVEL PROFILE

Travel Profile

dylan hird: a life dedicated to travel

My passion for everything travel began during my tender teenage years, when I set out to explore my homeland country of Australia for the first time.

Twenty years on, through employment, vacation, and extreme overland expeditions, I have since travelled the world extensively, visiting over 450 cities, in 54 countries, on 6 continents, I now live with the fact that when it comes to travel, ‘enough...is never enough’.

Asia, Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand
I have visited every state and territory of mainland Australia. From frontier towns and cities in the west like Perth, and Kununarra in the remote Kimberly region of Western Australia; through the interior along the Stuart Highway (all 3000 kilometers of it) from Darwin to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, to the outback catacombs of Coober Pedy, and Adelaide in South Australia - to the iconic natural heritage sites of The Twelve Apostles on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, and the pristine white sand beaches of Cape Byron on the north coast of New South Wales, to the Great Barrier Reef and tropical rainforest of Cape Tribulation in far North Queensland.

Earning my ‘formal’ travel qualifications at the Sydney Business & Travel Academy, I gained my first ‘PRODUCT’ experience by leading Travel Agent educational trips to New Zealand and managing a Nepal Home-Stay program.

I was ready for the rest of the world.

Asia - South East

Indonesia
I have travelled extensively throughout the Indonesian archipelago. From the city of Kupang, Timor, island hopping across the chain of Flores, fishing in Sumba, feeding the dragons on Komodo, Sumbawa, snorkeling on Lombok, surfing in Bali, the Borobudur temples and erupting volcanoes on Java, to the orangutang sanctuaries deep in the northern jungles of Sumatra.

Malaysia
From the culinary delight that is George Town (Penang Island) off the west coast, to the remote Perhentian Islands in the east.

Thailand
Based in Bangkok, I was fortunate to have lived and worked in all regions of Thailand for a number of years researching new PRODUCT and itineraries for an adventure travel company. When not working, I visited neighboring countries Cambodia and Laos to visit places like Angkor Wat, Phnom Penh and Vientiane.

India, Pakistan and Nepal

India
Based in New Delhi, my time in India was a mix of both work and play that took me to all regions of the country. When I wasn’t negotiating with suppliers and researching transport options and hotels in Varanasi, Kolcutta and Mumbai; and leading tours of the Taj Mahal and spotting Bengal Tigers in Safari Parks of Rajasthan; I purchased an Indian Enfield motorcycle and explored the Himalayas. This included having an audience with HH Dalai Lama in his hometown of Dharamsala in the northern foothills; to the Tibetan city of Leh - the once Capital of the Himalayan Kingdom of Ladakh - and whiled away the hours and serenity aboard a houseboat upon the Dal Lake in Kashmir.
I also crossed into Pakistan, visiting the cities of Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad, and the northern Himalayan outposts of Gilgit and the Hunza Valley on the border with Afghanistan

Nepal
Upon completing my contract of employment in India, I headed for Nepal (on my motorcycle).
In Bardia National Park, in the far west of the country, I spent my nights in mud-huts with local indigenous people, and the days we tracked (and spotted) endangered black rhinos. Further east, from the picturesque lakeside town of Pokhara, I took a trek up to and around the snowcapped peaks of Annapurna Base Camp at an average altitude of 4500 meters. My trip concluded in the ancient Capital city Kathmandu.

The Middle East and Turkey

Israel and Jordan
I was fortunate to have landed a job as crew aboard a Luxury Yacht in the resort of Eilat, in the south of Israel, on the northern tip of the Red Sea. The yacht, essentially a luxurious dive boat, we used exclusively to sail executive clientele to such dive sites as Coral Island off the coast of Egypt. Following a 6 month season here, I further explored the primary places of interest throughout the rest of the country including: Mt Masada, the Dead Sea, Galilee, Haifa and Tel Aviv.

Of course I couldn’t leave the Middle East without visiting the majestic ancient site of Petra, in Jordan, on horseback.

Turkey
My adventure begins in the only city in the world that can boast to span two continents - Europe with Asia -, Istanbul. Avoiding eye contact with the myriad of carpet wallah’s plying their trade in the bustling streets and alleyways of the city, I visited the treasure trove of historic sites such as: Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Sultan Ahmed (Blue Mosque) and the fish mongers on the banks of the river Bosphorus. From here, I travelled south to Çanakkale, or ANZAC Cove, to pay my respects. Then into the heart of the country, Goreme National Park, exploring the caves - and phallic rock formations - and deep underground ‘cities’ of Cappadocia. Then south, via the ancient Greek city of Ephesus, and the white thermal cascades of Pamukkali, before following the string of sleepy fishing towns and beach resorts of Kas, Fethiye and Oludeniz, that punctuate Turkey’s spectacular Mediterranean coastline.

Iceland, UK and Europe

Europe
I have lived, worked and travelled extensively throughout Europe for 10 years. Activities including: Running with the Bulls in Pamplona; to Snowboarding in France, Switzerland and Slovakia; Agritourismo on a farm-stay in Tuscany; simply relaxing on the canals of the Amsterdam cafe scene; to shelling giant, juicy prawns in the Algarve sunshine.

The Job roles I have held have been as diverse as the countries themselves: working with an event management team in Iceland; hotel management in Athens; Travel Manager of an African telecommunications company; and Senior Business Travel consultant here in London.

A total list of European countries (not just city / weekend breaks) I have visited are: Ireland, Wales, Scotland, England, France, Andorra, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Czech Rep., Germany, Belgium, Holland and Denmark.

Egypt, South Africa and Morocco

Egypt
I covered a great deal during my 6 weeks in Egypt. Starting at the magnificent Cairo Museum to see exhibits of sarcophagi and the golden tomb of Tutankhamun; then to the Sphinx and Pyramids of Giza. A train journey south took me to the worlds greatest open air museum of Luxor, where I marveled at the Ancient Egyptian monuments such as Karnak and Luxor, situated on the River Nile; and Necropolis for the temples and tombs within the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens. I continued as far south as one can go without entering Sudan - the colossal Temple of Abu Simbel, on the west bank of Lake Nasser.

From Aswan I sailed up the River Nile for 3 days and 2 nights aboard a traditional Felucca, to the small town of Edfu. From here I made the moonlight pilgrimage to the summit of Mt Sinai (Mt Moses), before finishing with a spot of diving on Red Sea resorts of Sharm el Sheikh and Dahab. I then crossed into Israel.

South Africa
After the small matter of attending a friend’s wedding as the best man, in Port Shepstone, south of Durban, I took a two week road trip around the north of the country. After starting with a trek up to Cathedral Peak in the Drakensberg Mountains, I spent a week on a wildlife camping safari in the Kruger National Park - getting up close to leopards, elephants, hippos, lions, buffalo and giraffe to name but a few.

I then headed south. From Port Elizabeth, along the spectacular Garden Route through Jeffreys Bay, onto Cape Town, visiting such sites as Table Mountain, the vineyards, and the infamous Robben Island.

Morocco
I collected the rental 4x4 from the airport in Casablanca and headed straight for the cultural and historical city of Fez. From Fez I ventured out to the fig-studded oasis villages of Merzouga and Erfoud to access the remote sand dunes of Erg Chebbi. My bedouin guide and I explored these vast Saharan dunes on camels, and camped beneath the stars. A drive south through the Atlas Mountains to the bustling bazaars and grandest souk (market) in Africa, Marrakech.

I welcomed a couple of nights of Luxury in the laid-back resort city of Agadir, before bedding down in the small berber fishing village of Taghazout - home to the most delicious fish tajine i’ve ever eaten! After a week of empty pristine golden beaches, I followed (stopping briefly at Essaouira) the dramatic Atlantic coastline north, passing through the remote farming villages scattered along the way before finally returning to Casablanca 4 weeks later.

Mexico and Central America

Latin America
I crossed the Texan border into Mexico at the town of Herioca Matamoros, on the Gulf Coast. I would now be in Latin America for the next 12 months, heading south, overland, all the way to Ushuaia - Tierra Del Fuego - on the southern tip of Argentina, some twenty thousand miles from here.

So I’ll keep it as brief as possible.

Mexico
As soon as the border guards deemed my documents were sufficiently in order, I left for Ciudad Victoria. I then continued south, passing through towns on the Gulf Coast: Tampico, Tampico Alto and Posa Rica. At Veracruz, I headed inland, across volcanic mountains and arid cactus deserts to the culinary capital of Mexico - Oaxaca. Famed for it’s splendid architecture and the Mayan ruins of Monte Alban; but mostly for the ‘Moles’, or, ‘chocolate and chili’ sauce.
From here the road wound through cooler, heavily forested mountains before descending to the Pacific near the surf mecca of Puerto Escondido. I continued east along the coast, visiting small coastal resorts - Puerto Angel, Zipolite, Puerto Arista - on route to Guatemala.

Guatemala
Via San Marcos and Quetzaltenango (Xela), I headed for the small community of San Pedro La Laguna. Situated on the shores of the volcanic Lake Atitlan, I stayed here for a couple of weeks studying Spanish. Then onto the UNESCO world heritage town of Antigua, and getting hopelessly lost in Guatemala City, before finally crossing into El Salvador.

El Salvador
Opting to leave the Pan American Highway for the more picturesque and less travelled ‘Ruta de las Flores’, or ‘Flower Route’; the single lane ribbon of tarmac meanders through the unspoiled northern highlands of El Salvador connecting the small high altitude communities of Ahuachapan, Ataco and Juayua, and the abundant coffee fincas (farms) along the way. Back on the coast, I followed the Pacific Highway, fleetingly stopping at La Libertad, Intipuca and La Union before arriving at the border town of Santa Clara for the cross into Nicaragua.

Nicaragua
Taking in only a few of the country’s tourist highlights - Leon, Granada, Lago de Nicaragua -, I passed swiftly into Costa Rica.

Costa Rica
My itinerary began with camping on the golden sands and endless isolated beaches of the Santa Rosa National Park on the west coast. From here I explored the epic and stunning beach resorts and towns of the Nicoya Peninsula - the famous Bahia Coco, Santa Cruz, Carmen, the epic surf resort of Santa Teresa, and Cabo Blanco National Park - before being invited to spend a few weeks living with a local family on the lazy shores of Montezuma.

From the ferry crossing back to the mainland, I passed through a number of major resort towns - Jaco, Manuel Antonio, Dominical, Uvita (to name a few) -, situated along the jungle bays, isolated coves and pristine white sand beaches on the coast. Again I left the Pan American Highway, opting for the mountain route via Mesas, San Vito and San Marcos, along the unmarked road into the western highlands of Panama.

Panama
Due to the hotly contested political elections and unrest at the time of my visit, my stay in Panama City was a short one. Taking in only some of the surrounding sites which included a trip to the Panama Canal, I was now keen to get to Colombia and South America.

South America

Colombia
It is my opinion, this once perceivably dangerous country is now the polished glittering jewel in the South American crown. I had originally only allowed myself 4 weeks to explore Colombia. I stayed for 16 weeks; and it is the highlight of my trip.

My entry port was the southern city of Cali. After clearing my motorcycle with Colombian Customs, I travelled north through the cities of Buga, Cartago and Manizales, to the lush mountain jungles of the interior, and the small town of Salento, nestled in the foothills of the Andes on the famous ‘Ruta de Cafe’. Continuing north, the once infamous hometown of the notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar, the city of Medellin has been transformed into a safe and exciting city now boasting luxury hotels and resorts, trendy restaurants and bars, a bustling nigh life and an array of galleries and museums and other activities for the thousands of visitors it now receives.
The pulsating salsa party however, is further north within the famous old walled city of Cartagena.

Further east along the Caribbean Coast from Cartagena, towards Venezuela via Barranquilla, is the port city of Santa Marta. This is the access point for trips to the further remote beach resorts such as Taganga, Palomino, Camerones, and the world famous Tayrona National Park. All these places offer the usual sun activities such as dive courses, coastal treks, unspoiled beaches etc. The highlight for me however, is the 6 day trek deep up into the jungles and mountains of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park, to visit the relatively unknown archaeological gem: Ciudad Perdida, or ‘The Lost City’.

South from Santa Marta, a good network of roads connect all the interesting and important landmarks, cities and towns like Bucaramanga, San Gil, Barichara, Villa de Leyva, and the Catedral de Sal Zipaquira (Salt Cathedral) - and finally to the amazing capital city Bogota.
South from Bogota, the journey is punctuated with visits to no less fascinating sites including Tierra Dentro, San Agustin and Popayan. About 4 kilometers from the border with Ecuador is the beautiful and unmissable ‘Las Lajas’ Cathedral.

Ecuador
Continuing down the spine of the Andes, stopping to visit the heritage riches of Quito for a couple of days; the wild volcanic landscapes of Cotopaxi, and one of South Americas most spectacular road trips, the Quilotoa Loop; to the canyons, jungles and thermal pools of Banos, and finally leaving the busy Pan American Highway again for the breath-taking Valley of Longevity - Vilcabamba. I then crossed into Peru through the tiny border town of Las Balsas, almost unnoticed.

Peru
It is a much more dangerous route of unsealed muddy roads (without any services), rising over dizzying passes above dense cloud forests - but for me that’s half the attraction. I was heading for the little-explored city of Chachapoyas (People of the Clouds), and the nearby monumental archaeological treasure Keulap. At an altitude above 4000 meters, and it’s grand scale, it has been labelled by some as northern Peru’s Machu Picchu.

Now I head west, descending from the clouds down to the steamy, tropical climate of the Amazon Rainforest. Passing through towns as Moyobamba and Tarapoto, the scenery is spectacular - an endless sea of greenery - on route to Yurimaguas, the town situated on the muddy confluence of the Huallaga and Paranapura Rivers.
It’s the end of the road. The only option to continue into the heart of the Amazon from here is by river, to the isolated city of Iquitos - the largest city in the Peruvian rainforest -, and without any roads linking it to the rest of the world. The Eduardo IV takes 5 days and 4 nights to make the journey, stopping briefly to deliver its much needed cargo of food and livestock to the remote indian communities living on the banks of this vast river system. In Iquitos, we meet up with Ricardo, our jungle guide for the next week. Trekking and canoeing, Ricardo takes us deep into the Amazon to view the abundant wildlife: cayman, toucan, pigmy-monkeys, sloths, giant river otters, anaconda and amazonian pink dolphins - to name a few; and sleep in hammocks and small river lodges out in the wild. The most bizarre experience though, was playing 9 holes on the Amazonian Golf Course.

It’s another 4 day journey back up river to civilization (and roads), to the town of Pucallpa. From here, it’s back over the Andes to the trekking capital of Huaraz for a week trekking among the 6000 meter snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Blanca. From freezing snowcaps to the sprawling desert outside Lima, It was time for some much appreciated luxury in the cosmopolitan district Miraflores. My room overlooked the pacific ocean, and the para-gliders souring high above the cliff tops on the fresh ocean breeze.
South again - a short stay at the sea-side village of Paracas for an outing to the Ballestas Islands, home to large colonies of seals, penguins and pelicans -, to catch a flight above the mysterious and amazing Nazca Lines. East now, back into the Andes, to possibly the most famous landmark of them all: Cusco, and the Inca Capital of Machu Picchu. Not forgetting the sites and communities of Sacsayhuaman and Ollantaytambo within the Sacred Valley of the of the Incas.

With the monsoon rains fast approaching, possibility wrecking our plans to cross the Salar de Uyuni, I made haste to the border town of Puno, on Lake Titicaca...and entered Bolivia.

Bolivia
Via Copacabana (jump-off point for launches to the floating reed islands and flocks of pink flamingoes on Lake Titicaca), to La Paz along the spectacular altiplano, stopping at Oruro, Potosi, and finally Uyuni just in time to navigate the worlds highest salt flats (above 4000 meters): Salar de Uyuni. A highlight is spending a night in the Salt Hotel. Constructed solely from salt: the walls, floors, ceiling, even the dining tables and chairs - even the beds are made of salt! Then it’s 4 days of grueling travel (camping wild above 4000 meters), taking in Lake Colorado and Lake Verde, to the remote border with Chile.

Chile
The town of San Pedro de Atacama, situated in the heart of the driest place on the planet, The Atacama Desert, is a great place to rehydrate and get a meal that doesn’t include rice or beans, before heading back over the altiplano to Argentina.

Argentina
From the more temperate climate of Salta, in the far north of the country, I join the famous route 40, or ‘ruta cuarenta’ - a highway running parallel to the Andes for more than 5000 kilometers all the way to Patagonia in the south -, through the remote pampa communities of San Miguel de Tucuman, Catarmarca, La Rioja - to the fertile plains and vineyards of Mendoza. With a beautiful climate, clean air and great facilities catering for all styles and budgets, the vibrant city of Mendoza is the perfect place to either stay at one of the beautiful campgrounds on the outskirts, or by checking into one of the many luxury hotels in the heart of the city - and spend a couple of days spoiling yourself wining and dining on the delicious fair Argentina is so famous for: giant steaks and lashings of quality wine!

Chile
Opting for the more scenic route south, I hopped back over the Andes via Santiago and rejoined the southbound Pan American Highway down through Chile via Rancagua, Talca, Chillan and Los Angeles, leaving the highway at Temuco for the Lakes District. A stunning region of perfectly formed snowcapped volcanoes arranged with rivers and waterfalls - and Villarrica, Pucon, Conaripe and Puerto Varas are just some of the resorts offering luxury on the shores of beautiful freshwater lakes.

Due to the recent eruption of the Chaiten Volcano and subsequent destruction of all roads linking Puerto Montt with Chaiten, a ferry crossing of the Golfo de Ancud was the only option. The town of Chaiten too had been leveled by the volcano and was buried deep in it’s ash. It was also very cold and deserted. Fortunately route 7, or the ‘Carretera Austral’, was intact from here. Weaving ever south through increasingly dramatic landscapes: past fjords, rivers, lakes, glaciers, volcanoes and primeval forests, unique to this Aisen region of Patagonia -, a real lifeline for the otherwise isolated communities of Puerto Ramirez, Puerto Cisnes, Puyuhuapi, Puerto Aisen and Coihaique (and intrepid travelers), before it’s end at the remote settlement of Villa O’Higgins, from where onward travel must me made on foot. The alternative is a ferry across Lago General Carrera, from Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez to Chile Chico, on the border with Argentina.

Argentina
Crisscrossing between Argentina and Chile from Los Antiguos on Lago Buenos Aires, south along Route 40 through the seemingly endless semi-baron pampa; bedding down at delightful ‘Estancias’ supplying refuge by way of warm fires and generous patagonian hospitality on my way to El Califate, on Lake Argentino, and the beautiful Los Glaciers National Park including the spectacular Perito Moreno Glacier. From here, the howling Patagonic winds sweeping off the southern ice-sheet and snowcapped peaks of the Cordillera del Paine are relentless, making the perilous journey to Torres del Paine National Park and Puerto Natales an extremely cold, slow and unforgettable experience. Finally the road ends in the pioneer town of Punta Arenas, where a ferry is required to continue the journey onto Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, or ‘Big Island of Land of Fire’ - and the Atlantic coast for the final push to the world’s southern most city: Ushuaia - known affectionately by the locals as ‘Fin del Mundo’, quite literally, ‘The End of the World’. Again, the ceaseless hospitality and customary friendliness of the locals - in particular my good friends Rosario and Roberto -, rearranged my travel plans and extended my original 3 nights hotel-stay, to a 2 week home-stay. Simply: they wouldn’t let me leave!

I visited Rio Grande, Rio Gallegos, the Welsh settlement Trelew, the ancient rolling hills of Tandil (again, befriended and forced into the family home!), and the sun-drenched Mar del Plata - just a handful of towns, cities and resorts steeped in history and boundless natural beauty along the 3000 kilometers of Atlantic coastline from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires.

North of Uruguay, on the border with Paraguay and Brazil, no trip is complete without a visit to the vast ecoregion of Misiones and Iguazu in the far northeast.

Brazil
After twelve epic months exploring Latin America, I couldn’t be happier spending the last few sun-soaked days of my trip marveling at the exotic sites, sounds and monuments of: Cristo Redentor, Pao de Acucar, Santa Teresa - and sharing my nights with Lapa, Ipanema and Copacabana, in the birthplace of the fiesta and party capital of the world - Rio de Janeiro. Though narrowly missing Carnival (this time) by only a few days, I vowed to return.

North America
San Francisco, California

New York City, New York

Fort Myers, Florida

New Orleans (Mardi Gras), Louisiana

Canada
Montreal, Quebec

China
Hong Kong

South Korea
Seoul

Singapore
Singapore City

Mauritius
The complete island